Dexter, Missouri - The Dr. Ron & Donna Hill Classic was held this past weekend at Hidden Trails Country Club in Dexter.  This was the 11th Annual event for the tournament which carries the name of a great man of Dexter that may be unknown to many in our community. 

Dr. Ronald T. Hill was the son of Thurston S. Hill III and Mary Ann Hastings Hill.  Many of your may remember T. S. Hill was legendary school administrator for the Dexter Public Schools and an equal community contributor to Dexter.  Other may realize that our Middle School building bares Dr. Hill's fathers name.

Like his father, Dr. Hill was a true icon in the Dexter community throughout the 70's, 80's and 90's.  He returned home to Dexter in 1971 to begin his private practice.  He tirelessly dedicated himself to the development, advancement and expansion of the Dexter Memorial Hospital (now MO Southern Healthcare).  Serving for many years as Chief of Staff of the hospital, Dr. Hill made the same high end contributions to our medical community that his father made to the development of our excellent school system.

A graduated of the University of Missouri Medical School in 1964, he served his internship and general surgery residency at Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.  Dr. Hill served two years in the U.S. Army, where he was a surgeon in a MASH unit during the Vietnam War.  He was the recipient of the Bronze Star and Vietnam Bronze Star.

Some will remember Dr. Hill's contributions to the community from different angles.  "Doc", as he was affectionately known by many DHS Athletes, served as the athletic physician at Dexter High School.  Others will remember his contributions at First Baptist Church where he served as a deacon, Sunday School Teacher, choir member and a leader in the Men's Prayer Groups. 

Dr. Hill left this life in 2002 at the age of 63, but his legacy remains in the name of the Ron & Donna Hill Classic.  Dr. Hill understood the difficulty small communities experienced in attracting physicians back to small rural communities.  With many opportunities laid before him in 1970, he dedicated his life to our community.  This memorial tournament carries forward Dr. Hill's mission of providing quality health care in Stoddard County.  The passion lives through scholarships provided to medical professionals who wish to further their education within their field.   

Organizers this year of the tournament were Amy Ellinghouse, her husband, Dave Ellinghouse, and Robert Shell.  They would like to thank the many sponsors and supporters of this event.  The tournament continues to be a strong important contributor of our community.

Hidden Trails golf pro John Barge would like to remind area golfers that the Labor Day Scramble will take place on Monday, September 3rd.  The cost is $10 per person and interested members should contact John at the club to get signed up.